Google Voice & Pidgin- ALMOST there!

Hello all,

Ive run into some trouble using Google Voice with Pidgin. I have it so that, when someone calls my Google Voice number, it will ring through to Pidgin via Google Talk support. I get a pop-up notification of the incoming call, and I click accept.

At this point Pidgin opens the conversation but Google Voice asks me over the speaker to "Press 1 to accept, Press 2 to send to voicemail" and since Pidgin has no DTMF pad, I cannot do either and the call eventually disconnects.

How can I send DTMF tones? I tried installing dtmfdial from the repositories, but it only works when the soundcard is not already in use. So it will generate the tones up until Pidgin accepts the call, but then once the call is "connected" (and I get the request to press 1 or 2), dtmfdial ceases to work. Is there a way to fix this?

By the way, I have tried altering Google Voice preferences so that I dont receive that message, but no luck. Their option to "turn off call screening" only eliminates the name-screening feature. Others find this annoying too; especially those with bluetooth devices. So I think attacking the problem from this angle won't work.

Re: Google Voice & Pidgin- ALMOST there!

Originally Posted by mathewd

Hello all,

Ive run into some trouble using Google Voice with Pidgin. I have it so that, when someone calls my Google Voice number, it will ring through to Pidgin via Google Talk support. I get a pop-up notification of the incoming call, and I click accept.

At this point Pidgin opens the conversation but Google Voice asks me over the speaker to "Press 1 to accept, Press 2 to send to voicemail" and since Pidgin has no DTMF pad, I cannot do either and the call eventually disconnects.

How can I send DTMF tones? I tried installing dtmfdial from the repositories, but it only works when the soundcard is not already in use. So it will generate the tones up until Pidgin accepts the call, but then once the call is "connected" (and I get the request to press 1 or 2), dtmfdial ceases to work. Is there a way to fix this?

By the way, I have tried altering Google Voice preferences so that I dont receive that message, but no luck. Their option to "turn off call screening" only eliminates the name-screening feature. Others find this annoying too; especially those with bluetooth devices. So I think attacking the problem from this angle won't work.

Thanks for your help!

All you need to do is more carefully adjust your Google Voice settings. When you are on the settings page, click the Calls tab. There, under the heading "Call Screening," there should be three ticker-boxes: first, an "On" ticker box, then, below it, an indented, second, sub-ticker box offering the option to "Ask unknown callers to say their name." Then there's the THIRD box, which is just plain "Off." Make sure that BOTH 1 and 2 boxes are de-clicked, then select "Off." You should no longer have any vocal previews of your callers; they should just go straight through. At least, that's how it works on my system.

Re: Google Voice & Pidgin- ALMOST there!

thanks for the reply dmar.

sadly, i double-checked my settings, and they are already exactly as you suggested. When it is ""On" it simply tells me who is calling, then asks if i want to answer or send to voicemail. In the current "Off" settings, it no longer tells me who is calling (no vocal previews) but still demands that I press 1 or 2. Like i mentioned, based on the google voice help forums, it seems a lot of people have this problem.

I think my problem could be solved by getting those darn DTMF tones to play! i had hoped to map a keyboard shortcut to the command "dtmfdial 1" but of course it wont work with the soundcard in use. i wish i were smart enough to figure out how to get around that lol.

Re: Google Voice & Pidgin- ALMOST there!

I still have the same issue. I've went so far as to download a DTMF mp3 file of the number 1 and try playing it back through the microphone. Still no luck of course. I tried the dtmfdial app, but had no luck (/dev/dsp is busy). Need to really get this added to pidgin, as if you're calling a bank or something, it would be nice to have it to enter in your account number etc.

Re: Google Voice & Pidgin- ALMOST there!

I've been looking all day, and can't find anyway around this. Seems like a simple to overcome problem though. Part of the problem seems to be on google's end for asking even when screening has been turned off. If the pidgin developers could add in touchtone functionality that would be great.

In the mean time, is there anyone who knows more about how the audio works in linux who could suggest a way to mimic a dialtone on the mic input or something useing dtmfdial or a recorded dialtone?

EDIT: Has anyone gotten any other programs to work like this? I've tried empathy, psi and some others, but they don't even register that someone is calling, though chat and video chat seem to work.

Re: Google Voice & Pidgin- ALMOST there!

Have you successfully linked "Google Voice" and "Google Talk?" Can your calls come in through "Google Talk" (not the Gmail utility)?

Does anyone know of a Gnome Panel plug in that has the same features as the Google Voice plug in for the Google Chrome browser? I would like some sort of widget to text people from my Google Voice account and receive Ubuntu notifications when I get texts, possibly through empathy or an IM client.

Re: Google Voice & Pidgin- ALMOST there!

As folks mentioned, it's problematic that GVoice refuses to disable call screening on GTalk (http://www.google.com/support/forum/...049ba897561b9f) but I think we'll really need a dialpad in pidgin even if they do fix it (think about what happens you call your bank and the automated teller asks you to "press 2 for balances").